SHARJAH // Almost 120 dilapidated and abandoned buildings were demolished in Sharjah city last year as part of the emirate's plan to upgrade residential and business areas, officials say.
The municipality pulled down 118 decades-old and structurally unsound buildings last year, four fewer than 2011, said Abdul Aziz Al Mansouri, the deputy general director of engineering and projects at Sharjah Municipality.
"The demolitions of untidy old buildings is being done to preserve the look of the emirate," Mr Al Mansouri said.
"We also want to preserve the safety of residents as some of the abandoned old buildings had become hubs for illegal residents and illegal activities."
In 2010, 92 illegal residents were arrested after they were found living in two abandoned homes, in Al Marijah and Al Shuwaiheen.
Police said at the time that their living conditions were appalling as the municipality had cut off electricity and water, and many were found sleeping on the ground.
Mr Al Mansouri said that once a building was marked for demolition, the owner is informed by letter and anyone living inside is asked to leave.
Electricity and water are disconnected by the Sharjah Electricity Water Authority before the bulldozers move in.
Mr Al Mansouri said the municipality did not mark buildings to be pulled down based on age.
A professional assessment of the viability of each building is done before it could be condemned.
Buildings deemed suitable to remain intact can be renovated. The municipality issued 319 permits for the renovation and maintenance of old buildings last year.
Neighbourhoods such as Al Shuwaiheen, Al Ghuwair, Al Sharqa and Umm Tarafa have had large-scale demolition works recently.
Once a building has been razed, the department of planning and surveying can help owners to redevelop the plot to meet the latest building standards, when any new plans are presented.
Last year the Sharjah Government announced a Dh20 million fund to provide emergency housing for Emiratis who lived in dilapidated homes that were marked for demolition.
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The Equaliser 2
Director Antoine Fuqua
Starring: Denzel Washington, Bill Pullman, Melissa Leo, Ashton Sanders
Three stars
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Three-day coronation
Royal purification
The entire coronation ceremony extends over three days from May 4-6, but Saturday is the one to watch. At the time of 10:09am the royal purification ceremony begins. Wearing a white robe, the king will enter a pavilion at the Grand Palace, where he will be doused in sacred water from five rivers and four ponds in Thailand. In the distant past water was collected from specific rivers in India, reflecting the influential blend of Hindu and Buddhist cosmology on the coronation. Hindu Brahmins and the country's most senior Buddhist monks will be present. Coronation practices can be traced back thousands of years to ancient India.
The crown
Not long after royal purification rites, the king proceeds to the Baisal Daksin Throne Hall where he receives sacred water from eight directions. Symbolically that means he has received legitimacy from all directions of the kingdom. He ascends the Bhadrapitha Throne, where in regal robes he sits under a Nine-Tiered Umbrella of State. Brahmins will hand the monarch the royal regalia, including a wooden sceptre inlaid with gold, a precious stone-encrusted sword believed to have been found in a lake in northern Cambodia, slippers, and a whisk made from yak's hair.
The Great Crown of Victory is the centrepiece. Tiered, gold and weighing 7.3 kilograms, it has a diamond from India at the top. Vajiralongkorn will personally place the crown on his own head and then issues his first royal command.
The audience
On Saturday afternoon, the newly-crowned king is set to grant a "grand audience" to members of the royal family, the privy council, the cabinet and senior officials. Two hours later the king will visit the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, the most sacred space in Thailand, which on normal days is thronged with tourists. He then symbolically moves into the Royal Residence.
The procession
The main element of Sunday's ceremonies, streets across Bangkok's historic heart have been blocked off in preparation for this moment. The king will sit on a royal palanquin carried by soldiers dressed in colourful traditional garb. A 21-gun salute will start the procession. Some 200,000 people are expected to line the seven-kilometre route around the city.
Meet the people
On the last day of the ceremony Rama X will appear on the balcony of Suddhaisavarya Prasad Hall in the Grand Palace at 4:30pm "to receive the good wishes of the people". An hour later, diplomats will be given an audience at the Grand Palace. This is the only time during the ceremony that representatives of foreign governments will greet the king.
Disclaimer
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Stars: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Kline, Lesley Manville
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Directors: Raj & DK
Stars: Varun Dhawan, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Kashvi Majmundar, Kay Kay Menon
Rating: 4/5
As You Were
Liam Gallagher
(Warner Bros)
The specs
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Power: 400hp
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How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
Jeff Buckley: From Hallelujah To The Last Goodbye
By Dave Lory with Jim Irvin
The specs
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Director: Amith Krishnan
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